Book Review: Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer

If you struggle with worry and doubt, anger or condemnation, or even depression–this book is for you. The author contends that only by overcoming unhealthy thinking patterns can we be set free and have inner peace. This book continues to be a hot seller on Amazon even though it was published eight years ago.

Joyce begins by making the point that we as individuals need to make a habit of paying attention to what we are thinking about. Then, after becoming fully aware of what thoughts are roaming around in our brains, we have to evaluate the thoughts in terms of whether or not they represent the truth–not what we feel is the truth, but what we know deep within ourselves is really the truth.

The next step, after becoming aware of our thoughts, is to train ourselves to refuse to permit negative thinking to continue residing in our minds like choking weeds that strangle healthy plant growth. Of course, we cannot prevent wrong thoughts from popping up in our skulls, but we can strategically and systematically remove them once we recognize their presence, just as a gardener promptly removes weeds that encroach upon his or her garden.

The best way to avoid negative thinking in the first place is to make a regular habit of meditating on truth and the truth in the Bible is the best place to start. We have to recognize that, to a great extent, this is a spiritual battle. Satan, the unseen enemy spirit, is ever cavorting throughout the world, seeking to deceive us with half-truths. In addition, the mixed messages that continually bombard us in the media are constantly tainting our thoughts. The Bible admonishes us to renew our minds regularly.

Of course, the truth is not always easy to accept, particularly when we believe the source of our unhappiness is external and the truth reveals that the true source is within ourselves. It is only by having the courage and honesty to embrace the truth will we see our circumstances change in a positive way. Joyce uses the example from her own life in which during the early years of her marriage, she believed that all her unhappiness and depression were due to the faults of her husband. She was devastated when God, through His Word, revealed to her that she was the real problem. Once she accepted this truth and set about taking the responsibility to change her thinking about her marriage, she found the relationship was transformed.

Joyce insists we cannot have a positive life if we have negative thinking. If our thinking is incorrect, we will continue to fall into patterns of behavior that leave us defeated and unable to progress in our lives. By meditating regularly on the truth in the Word of God, little by little we will be set free from unhealthy thinking patterns or unholy spiritual strongholds.

One of the things that is so great about Joyce’s books, as well as her messages, is that she is very open about sharing from her own life and using herself as an example for all the points she is trying to make. She willingly makes herself vulnerable by sharing the agonizing struggles she has experienced through the years while trying to be set free from her abusive past. Instead of appearing as an untouchable behind a palatial pulpit, she presents herself as a regular person the reader can relate to because she has personally experienced everything she talks about.

Moreover, Joyce’s writing style is easy to read. Instead of using high-sounding academic jargon, she writes with everyday language in a practical, reader-friendly style. If you have ever heard her speak, you know that Joyce has no mastery of the English language. But in my view that only helps to make her seem like one of us.

I am aware of the fact that there are hubs on this website that make an issue of the tremendous wealth and luxurious lifestyle she has obtained as a result of her ministry. But Joyce has written a great number of best-selling books. Why shouldn’t she benefit from the proceeds of these books just like any other best-selling author?

Her books have been a tremendous blessing and help to many people over the past 30 years. They have certainly impacted my life significantly. I whole-heartedly recommend this book and all her books for that matter.

I have included a representative You Tube video below of her teaching regarding right thinking. Some people are initially put off by her gravelly voice and style of speaking. However, after listening to her for a while, they often become endeared to her vulnerability and sense of humor. So give her a chance!